Legit Draft Day Trade Scenarios

Here's how I think this draft is shaping up for the Pistons. I think they'd like Cousins or Favors the most, but I believe the major consideration in how much they accept giving up to get into a position to draft them is entirely dependant on how well they like Monroe, Aminu, and Davis. Possibly they might privately love someone like Udoh or someone else, but my guess is that it's going to come down to Aminu and Davis, since one or both of those guys is highly likely to fall to them.

Here's the thing about Aminu and Davis - they're both very fine athletes who can really rebound and defend. If Aminu is projected to be a 4, he might be very attractive to us. What's the biggest issue for the Pistons? Defenders. A defensive frontcourt of Aminu at the 4 and JJ at the 3 - both being guys who could swap between the 3 and the 4, and who could both guard 2's as well, could be a great defensive building block for our team.

Davis projects as a 4 or even a 5, but most likely an athletic and very good sized 4 who can protect the rim as well as just about anyone in this draft, and who'll rebound great. Again, that's an ideal building block skill for the Pistons. The truth is that both of those guys might be better fits for the Pistons big needs, rebounding and defense than Cousins or Monroe would be. Of course, Cousins low post play is also a big need, and it's a lot easier to find defensive presences at PF than true superstar low post skills in a center.

That brings me back to the Pistons trading. If I'm right about this, and the Pistons really like Davis and or Aminu and/or Monroe, then there's less reason to give up our best trade asset - Tay. Also, Tay is a stabilizing player for our young team - but I hesitate writing that, since I believe he no longer plays a style consistent with where this team is and should be heading, a get up and go style team. (Sorry to be so tangental here, but Aminu racing up and down the wing with Jerebko and/or Daye with Stuckey and/or Bynum pushing the ball could be really great. Back to Tay here) If we like what we're going to get in the 7th spot, then Tay can certainly be traded for a really nice asset at a later point in the summer (e.g., a Duckworth type player - a decent physical center) or at the trade deadline.

1- Wall 2- Favors 3- Cousins (The Nets will not hesitate to have Lopez and COusins under the Basket.. I mean.. is very likely that in a few years they could be like Gasol and Bynum) 4- Evan Turner (What Minnesota Always want) 5- Wesley Johnson or Aminu. 6- Wesley Johnson or Aminu or Greg Monroe 7- Greg Monroe or Ed Davis

We still are in the same position..

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Wall's career will be delayed and he will be traded 3-4 years hence.

Down to 6 is most interesting. After 7 is where teams might ascend and begin to use (or should) organizational perceptions. This is a very good trading zone if you can cherry pick the marginal playoff teams and understand that the Laker's are not falling out of the playoffs for at least two years. Those that think in this time frame would be wise.

Wall is about as much of a lock to go #1 as you can get. Turner will not fall outside the top 4 as he is too talented. Favors and Johnson are pretty much universally considered as more "sure things" than Cousins, and as such the latest either of them would go is 5.

So I think the most likely situation is that Cousins falls to 5. With Sacramento having just traded for Dalembert, and already having Thompson and Landry, I think they have their sights set on Aminu, who fills a bigger need. But they have the draft position, so I offer Maxiell, Bynum, and the 7th to Sacramento for the 5th and their second. I love Bynum, but he's stuck behind Stuckey, Hamilton, and Gordon, and would give the Kings a good backup combo guard, sort of an Evans light. Maxiell gives them another solid big off the bench, and Aminu should be available at 7. This would give them a starting five of Udrih, Evans, Aminu, Landry, and Dalembert, with a very good bench consisting of Bynum, Casspi, Maxiell, and Thompson.

As for the Pistons, they make use of their logjam at guard, move up to get potentially the most talented player in the draft at their biggest need position, and acquire Capp Spayce for Jason Maxiell.

With that #5 pick and Demarcus Cousins in their hands Sac has us by the you know what. If they draft Cousins (even though they want Aminu) the question now becomes what does GS do? Do they take Aminu, Monroe or Edoh? We have to get the #5 pick, I'll be so glad when thursday comes and goes.....I'm driving myself crazy!!!

rax brought up a good point in another thread, teams are going to want JJ or Daye in any trade discussions.......so if it came down to it, would you trade the 7th pick, Rip, and JJ - for - Al Jefferson and the 4th pick (Demarcus Cousins). I know parting with JJ is horrific to even think about, but if that's what it would take to shore up this frontcourt........well, sometimes you gotta make a bold move......

rax brought up a good point in another thread, teams are going to want JJ or Daye in any trade discussions.......so if it came down to it, would you trade the 7th pick, Rip, and JJ - for - Al Jefferson and the 4th pick (Demarcus Cousins). I know parting with JJ is horrific to even think about, but if that's what it would take to shore up this frontcourt........well, sometimes you gotta make a bold move......

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At first I was going to answer, "yes" but the thing is that Jefferson and Cousins cannot play in the same frontcourt. They're both low post guys which is redundant, but more importantly, neither is a good defender so you'd never be a top defensive team with that pairing.

If we could get Favors with that pick instead of Cousins than I'd do it, but it looks like there's no way Favors doesn't get picked 2 or 3.

I'm working hard on our next Mock Draft (v. 6.0) for Tuesday. But for those of you sick of hearing what I think every week, here's a pretty good alternative.

It probably doesn't surprise you to hear that most NBA teams do their own mock drafts in an effort to understand what players will be available when they are picking. They use their scouts to talk to other scouts in the league to get intel (along with reading ESPN Insider of course) and then put a mock together.

I persuaded one of the best drafting GMs in the league to share his team's mock with me. He kindly gave me the first 20 picks Enjoy!

1. Wizards: John Wall 2. Sixers: Evan Turner 3. Nets: Derrick Favors 4. T-Wolves: Wesley Johnson 5. Kings: DeMarcus Cousins Note: Monroe had a terrific workout over the weekend. Sounds like Monroe and Cousins are neck and neck here. 6. Warriors: Greg Monroe Note: Interestingly, after the positive workout, Monroe had a shaky one in Golden State on Sunday. You don't want to be outplayed by Omar Samhan when you're trying to talk a team into drafting you at No. 6. This may change. 7. Pistons: Al-Farouq Aminu 8. Clippers: Gordon Hayward Note: If you're comparing to our Mock Draft v 5.0, we have the first eight in the exact same order. But from here it changes significantly. 9. Jazz: Ed Davis Note: I think you'll see our Mock Draft v. 6.0 take up this suggestion. I've been hearing all week that Davis doesn't get past No. 9 if Monroe is off the board. Sorry, Luke Babbitt. 10. Pacers: Ekpe Udoh Note: This also seems like a good bet. We've had Davis falling here for the past two weeks. But Udoh was the guy we had in Indy for our first two Mock Drafts. 11. Hornets: Cole Aldrich 12. Grizzlies: Luke Babbitt 13. Raptors: Eric Bledsoe Note: That's the first major surprise I've heard so far. I've had them higher on Avery Bradley for months ... but maybe he knows something I don't. 14. Rockets: Patrick Patterson 15. Bucks: Xavier Henry 16. Timberwolves: Paul George Note: I think this is probably too low for George. I put him here in my last mock draft, but continue to hear he's strongly in the mix for the Clips, Indy and Memphis. Hard to see him sliding past all three. 17. Bulls: Damion James 18. Heat: Avery Bradley 19. Celtics: Solomon Alabi 20. Spurs: Daniel Orton Note: The Spurs need a big man and they could rip out the heart of folks in OKC if they take Orton one pick ahead of the Thunder.

At first I was going to answer, "yes" but the thing is that Jefferson and Cousins cannot play in the same frontcourt. They're both low post guys which is redundant, but more importantly, neither is a good defender so you'd never be a top defensive team with that pairing.

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Al Jeff is 4 who can shoot out to 18 feet. Cousins is a 5. How do you know Cousins cant play Defense? Nothing in his 1 year of college hoops supports that assertion.

If we could get Favors with that pick instead of Cousins than I'd do it, but it looks like there's no way Favors doesn't get picked 2 or 3.

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Favors is an athletic freak and a physical specimen, nobody is asserting that he's a ball player, just a big strong guy who can run really fast and jump really high; sorry, give me the guy who has shown and prove that he can actually PLAYASKETBALL.

I think Daye and JJ are both keepers. I expect Daye to take a big step forward this season - hopefully at SG.

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I don't care what position he plays, I just hope he gets a better defensive feel and learns how to finish a little stronger at the rim. I don't expect him to turn into a brute force, I actually like his smooth finesse game, But even Tayshaun finishes like a beast every now and then when neccessary.

[re: Daye] I don't care what position he plays, I just hope he gets a better defensive feel and learns how to finish a little stronger at the rim. I don't expect him to turn into a brute force, I actually like his smooth finesse game, But even Tayshaun finishes like a beast every now and then when neccessary.

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I don't think there's any question that he'll get stronger. According to Daye in pistons.com last week or so, he's already put on 5 pounds of muscle. We're still early in the summer, so that's a nice sign.

I don't think there's any question that he'll get stronger. According to Daye in pistons.com last week or so, he's already put on 5 pounds of muscle. We're still early in the summer, so that's a nice sign.